Being experienced divers, Dennie and Chet knew
the best thing to do under the circumstances was to stay still. They held
Artie as steady as they could and watched in terrified silence as the two
creatures approached.

As the sharks neared, a school of fish swam in
front of them heading in an westerly direction. The sharks turned
sharply and followed. The boys continued to the surface. When they broke
the water, Dennie gulped in fresh air while Chet looked around for Biff and
Phil.

"You got him!" shouted Biff enthusiastically when he saw the trio.
Biff and Phil, already stripped down to swim trunks, dove in and took
over the task of getting Artie to land. Dennie and Chet, totally exhausted,
followed at a slower pace.

"He's out of it," Biff said, as Dennie and Chet sank to their knees on
the sand.

Dennie nodded, but waited a minute before responding. "We need to get him
to the manor," he said. "Maybe the Duvaliers can cure this poison. They
did when it was used on me."

By the time they reached the manor, Mr. Mondello had returned. Dennie filled
his dad and the Duvaliers in on the rescue, ending with the fresh air he
had inhaled.

"Can you help him?" Mr. Mondello asked his friend as he sat beside Artie
on the bed, looking into his eyes with a penlight.

Dr. Duvalier looked up at Mr. Mondello, his eyes holding compassion. "The
poison is throughout his system," he replied. "We could give him the
antidote Dennie was given, but the leeches were a vital part of the
treatment. They won't be able to help Artie."

"Isn't there another antidote?" Phil inquired. "Maybe something
stronger than what you used on Dennie?"

"There are rumors," Mrs. Duvalier stated.

"But we really don't know," Dr. Duvalier added.

"Who would know?" Chet asked.

"Perhaps some of the locals," Dr. Duvalier answered.

"But we can't trust any of them," Biff said, scowling.

"Not on this plantation, anyway," Dennie interjected thoughtfully. "Jima
and his mom and bandmates moved here after Jima's dad died," Dennie
continued. "But his mother's family are natives."

"You can use the truck," Dr. Duvalier told them, fishing a set of keys
from his pants pocket. "You probably won't meet many people on the road
between here and the next plantation. But be careful, anyway," he added.

"We will," Dennie promised as Biff took the keys.

After making a quick stop at the guest house to change out of their
swim trunks, the boys climbed into the truck with Biff driving, Dennie in
the passenger seat and Chet and Phil sat in the back. It wasn't long
before the foursome arrived at Jima's.

Dennie knocked on the door and a dark-skinned lady with long, silky black
hair opened the door. She looked curiously at the boys.

"Hello, Ma'am," Dennie greeted the woman. "My name is Dennie Mondello. I met
Jima on the plane."

Jima looked at the desperation in Dennie's eyes. "One moment," he
replied, leaving the room.

The boys waited anxiously. Dennie stayed where Jima had left him and Chet
remained seated on the sofa. Biff went to the window to look out and Phil
went to Dennie's side and stood in silence. When Jima returned, he was
accompanied by his mother and an older woman whom Dennie took to be Jima's
grandmother because of the strong resemblance.

"This is my grandmother, Dora," Jima introduced the woman to the boys.
"She is a mambo," he continued. "A priestess," he added in explanation.

Dennie looked into the old woman's gray eyes. "Can you help my bandmate?"
he asked her.

"I have the knowledge," she admitted in stilted English. "But the
magic your bandmate is under is powerful. The Bokur who does this to our
people is evil and to be feared. He will seek vengeance upon those who
defy him," she added, watching his face closely. "He will seek to destroy
you."

"Thank you," Dennie said again. He turned to Phil. "You guys go and get
Artie," he ordered. "Dad too. I'm going to talk to Jima and see if he
knows any of what has been going on around here."

Dora and Cara left the room to begin the preparations. Phil , Biff,
and Chet left for the Duvalier plantation and Dennie and Jima sat down in
the living room.

Dennie told Jima about the two men he had seen in the woods and about his
being poisoned.

"You must have seen the Bokur," Jima told Dennie. "I have heard Jojje is
small in stature but he is a very powerful man. You are most lucky to be
alive after the encounter. It is too bad you did not get a good look at
the other man," Jima continued. "You would have a better chance of having
him punished for the crime."

"You mean the Bokur can get away with this?" Dennie demanded, his eyes
flaring angrily.

"Calm down, my friend," Jima soothed Dennie. "The Bokur is feared by all.
There are none who would help you to bring him to justice even though we
do have laws forbidding the enslavement of people by the use of magic."

Jima stood up. "Come," he ordered, as Dennie stood. "I will show you
around the plantation."

"Thanks," Dennie replied with a smile. "I'd like that."

After several minutes of walking, the two arrived at a large barn.
There, three men were standing together, talking. "Dennie, I would like you
to meet my three bandmates. This is Kreg, the eldest, and Anthony is next
in line, then Milan. I come next and then there is Jayto, he is staying
with a friend for a few days," Jima made the introductions. "Guys, this
is Dennie Mondello. He is staying at the Duvalier's."

"Nice to meet you," Dennie said, shaking Milan's hand.

"And you," Milan responded with a smile. "I must be off," he added.
"Duty calls."

Anthony shook Dennie's hand. "I must go as well," he said. "I have much
to do before nightfall. I am in charge of the harvest this year."

"And what are you in charge of?" Dennie asked Kreg, trying to draw the
solemn, dark-haired man into conversation.

Kreg gave Dennie a hard look. "Everything," he replied before turning and
stalking off.

"Did I strike a nerve?" Dennie asked Jima, cocking his head to one side.

"Kreg has been like that since dad died," Jima answered. "But he is
always there if we need him. I think he just needs to relax a bit."

Dennie was saved from a response by the arrival of the truck driven by
Dr. Duvalier. Phil sat in the passenger seat while Chet and Biff were in
the back helping Mr. Mondello with Artie.

Dennie and Jima rushed over to the truck and helped get Artie down and
into the house. Cara led them through the house and into the back yard.
They lowered Artie to the ground as directed, and Dora began chanting and
dancing around Artie, sprinkling flower petals around his body.

When a petal fell onto his face, she stopped her chants and gyrations
and took the errant petal. She dipped it into a wooden bowl filled with
liquid until the petal had become saturated. She then removed the petal
and placed it beneath Artie's tongue, once again, chanting.

When she quit speaking, her eyes sought out Dennie's and she bade him to
kneel beside her. "Your bond is great," she said. "You must sacrifice of
yourself to allow your bandmate to return to the living."

The Mondello Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The
Mondello Boys Fan Fiction authors of the
Mondello Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or
two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The
authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do
not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.